Description

A telescope that talks!

Bushnell's NorthStar 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain compact telescope with Real Voice Output offers amateur astronomers state-of-the-art computer-driven location and tracking capability with simple, push-button control. And, its innovative RVO (Real Voice Output) feature provides a fun, interactive way to explore the night sky.From a built-in data base of 20,000 celestial objects, you simply call up your target on the hand-held control module, enter a simple "Go To" command and the NorthStar computer does the rest. You'll locate objects with the push of a button. And, once the scope is locked on, tracking an object for prolonged viewing is completely automatic the telescope simply does it for you!

The NorthStar's remote, hand-held control module features red, backlit pushbuttons plus a red, illuminated LCD read-out for easy viewing without impairing your night vision. It also offers a new 1X wide-angle, red dot finderscope to make manual location easier. There's also a quick-release tripod and accessory tray for fast, easy assembly.

Sorry for the long review. However, I've found that the other reviews not only for this scope, but for others were really lacking. I want to give you a really good idea of what you're getting if you're looking at buying this scope. I am definitely an amateur observer. This is my first scope. I took probably two weeks researching different scopes as well as the different types of scopes. In the end, I decided that a Maksutov-Cassegrain would be the way to go. From my research, I learned that the lens configuration gives you the benefits of both a reflector and a refractor and minimizes both scopes' abortions. I looked through a number of telescope retailer sites and found that for the money, this scope was the best buy. I also found that Telescopes.com had one of the lowest prices out there. When I first set it up, I used the stock lenses that came with it. They're okay, but I was quickly frustrated because they seemed under powered. It's a good thing that I also bought the Zhumell 1.25" Eyepiece and Filter Kit. Those lenses are definitely better. It also helps that there's a 2x Barlow lens in there, too. Having the extra power has really helped. So, when I'm viewing the moon with a 32mm lens, I'm able to get the whole moon in the lens. It's really cool to be able to make out all the craters and detail on the moon. Unfortunately, at the time of year that I bought this, I haven't been able to dial in any planets. I live in Eastern Washington state and now that it's fall, most, if not all of the planets are at or below the horizon in the night sky. I think the next lens I'm going to buy is a zoom lens. Mainly because I think that would be easier for when I take my daughter out to look at objects. Since I wear glasses (and she doesn't), when I dial in an object for my eyesight w/out glasses, it's really fuzzy for her. So, I think a zoom scope would help fine tune the image when she wants to look at it. As far as the hardware goes, the scope itself is solid. The red dot finder is a great help. However, the stand is a bit wobbly. It's made out of aluminum, and the legs are hollow. So there's a tradeoff between being light and not so solid. Also because the mechanics are built into the special mount, it's really top heavy. I haven't quite figured out how to deal with the wobble yet. Also, after putting a batter in, I can't get the cover to the battery compartment to latch. So, I've had to tape that shut. No big deal, it just looks stupid.The computer is alright. The first couple times that I took it out, I thought it was calibrated. However, when I calibrated it last night and picked the moon to look at, it spun around and pointed itself literally in the opposite direction of where the moon was at. Considering that last night, the moon was nearly full and easy to make out, I was pretty certain the thing was wrong. I would've fiddled with the thing more, but I had my impatient and cold 4 year old with me. So, I turned off the computer and manually pointed it at the moon. I was a bit bummed because I was also hoping to dial in Neptune. However, since the computer couldn't find the moon, I figured I couldn't trust it to find Neptune. I'm willing to chalk up a lot of the calibration issues to the fact that I'm a no0b at this. I've noticed that when the computer is on and I'm viewing an object, it moves. It was fairly annoying initially. Then I realized that it's trying to make up for the motion of the earth. So, what I've been doing is using the computer to find something, then turn it off so that I can train on it for longer. One of the other reviewers knocked it down a bit because it offers only full degrees - I'm not sure how he figured that out. I don't know if it's full degrees or not, but, when it does try to compensate for the planetary movement it quickly loses what you're looking at if it's small. So, if it is full degrees rather than fractions, I suppose that would make sense. What's a degree at the scope can translate to a lot of real estate in the sky.All in all, to me, this is a good starter scope. I wanted something with electronics to help me dial in night sky objects. However, if I could learn to work with a star chart, maybe a less technologically complicated scope would be better. Mainly because for the same money you could get more scope, rather than paying for the electronics. [...]. While their prices, for the most part are pretty average, they do have a lot of great deals. [...]

This telescope is really good for planetary observations. I have seen so far Saturn's Cassini division, 2 Jupiter belts and I could resolove Uranus. It's a great telescope for the price. Only one minus made me giving only 4 stars: The alignment of the telscope to the sky is not accurate enough. It offers only full degrees for your position, and even after good alignment with 3 stars, the calculator drifts away from true position drifts away within a very short time. I think Bushnell should offer a software update to fix this.

First let me say that Binoculars.com is a great place to do business with! I ordered this telescope on Monday at 10:30AM and I received it at my home in Lenexa, KS (with no extra shipping charges on Wednesday at 10:30AM). I worked with Dawn at Binoculars.com and she was very friendly and knowledgeable. Upon assembly, the parts list mentioned that a 2x Barlow lens was included. (I found out later it was not, Dawn was willing to ship one out to me same day but told her that I lived about 4 miles from the Bushnell Headquarters in Lenexa, KS and perhaps I could just go over there and have them provide one. I talked to a very nice gentlemen at Bushnell named Chris and he told me that the parts list inadvertently listed the 2x Barlow lens in the owners manual (in error), but he was happy to provide both a 2x and a 3x Barlow lens without even asking him!! Bushnell and Binoculars.com were both willing, and in fact showed, through this real-life experience that customer service is very important to both of them. Now for the telescope review, in a word, fantastic! This telescope offers the same objective lens size as the Meade ETX90. This telescope has a real human voice recorded on a computer chip, (you can turn it off) that walks you through the alignment process and then allows you to automatically view over 20,000 objects and tell you a bit about what it is you're looking at. No other brand of telescope in the world, at any price, does this at the time of this review (May '05). I talked to Bushnell corporate people before buying this telescope with some questions regarding a feature that Meade offers that should very interesting, allowing you to download telemetry of orbiting satellites and track them. I thought that would be really interesting and I asked the Bushnell people if they would be offering anything like that as an upgrade sometime in the future, they told me that they are already working on that and they it wouldn't require any extra investment as the telescope has a computer port is already built into the tripod base and it would be used in the process of updating the software. Very impressive! I was also impressed with the pricing of this Bushnell telescope compared to the Meade EXT90, nearly $200 dollars less. Along with this, it offers an unlimited lifetime warranty (some restrictions apply, to the original owner) on the optics and two years on the electronics. Meade has one year. If you are looking for a great telescope without getting into 'astronomical' prices, then I think you'd be hard pressed to do better than buying this Bushnell Maksutov-Cassegrain 90mm model 78-8890. I also highly recommend Binoculars.com as they are in this business, and know telescopes and binoculars and they are willing to put their money where there mouth is by offering to match or beat any price you might find from a dealer on a new item on this or any other product they offer. Keep up the great work Binoculars.com and Bushnell!!!

Customer Q & A

Q1: We live on a lake and my hausband wants a telescope primarily for nature watching, watercraft watching etc. What would be a good choice for us?

A: This is an excellent scope for viewing celestial objects as well as terrestrial objects however an erect image prism will be needed to view them right side up.

Q2: Is this a good telescope to start to with for beginners?

A: Having the GOTO capability makes it an excellent choice for beginners.

Q3: I recently purchased the above scope and love the imaging. However, I would like to know if there is a remote focusing device, as focusing the scope at high magnification with the attached focusing knob is difficult due to the vibration associated with touching the scope.

A: Currently there is not one available. Scopetronix makes some for the Meade scopes but so far i have not heard of one for the bushnell's.

Q4: are there any telescopes you can use with digital cameras?

A: With the right adapters (camera and telescope specific) you should be able to adapt almost any digital camera to a telescope.

Q5: We are considering purchasing a Bushnell 90MM Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope, item No. 788890.
We would also like to get a Barlow adapter for it. Will the Meade #128 3X Barlow made for the ETX 70 AT 07278 also work on this Busnell GOTO since it too is 1.25 inch?

A: Technically it would work although the focal length of the Meade barlow is designed for the ETX-70 so your image would not be as good as it could be. Bushnell does make their own barlow lenses that are more compatable overall with the optics of the 90mm Mak.

Q6: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the fork equatorial mount?

A: the biggest advantage is that a Fork mount is much more stable, less vibrations etc... Downside though is that it is not precise with tracking as an equataorial mount will be.

Q7: does this telescope 90mm come with a barlow lens or just 2 eyepieces and an erector lens

A: This does not come witha barlow. There is an error on the bushnell instructions that says it does but it does not. Just the two eyepieces and erector lens.

Q8: Dears, What can I see with the total magnification from 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Compact w/RVO (using Eyepieces Included 4mm (300x) and 25mm (48x)), besides planets, moon, etc.?

A: When using a telescope, what allows you to see distance actually has more to do with the diameter of the scope the the magnification that the eyepiece gives you. The eyepiece will not make the images larger what it will do is pull the item you are looking at in closer. The minimum size of telescope that you would need to see the planets etc.. is at least 60mm so a 90mm scope will allow you to see literally thousands of celestial objects outside of our solar system, like the andromeda galaxy, the cat's eye nebula, and M31 to name just a few.

Q9: I have a Bushnell 90mm and am interested in Celestron eyepiece set and would like to now if it will work (improve images). And if the barlow lens will work, or do i need another brand (orion shorty).
Thanks, Bryan PS I am a starter, my first one was a 60mm refractor

A: The Celestron eyepiece and filter set will definitely work with that scope. The eyepieces will give you different levels of magnification so in essesnce yes they will improve your views. The barlow will work as well though you will find with all the eyepieces you get in the kit you won't need to use it very often.

Q10: Is there a compatible solar filter that I can use to view the sun and moon using this telescope?

A: i am sorry but there is not a solar filter available for this scope at this time.

Q11: How is the tupe connected to the mount. Could it be dettached from the mount and be put on a tripod for terrestrial viewing?

A: It uses a single fork arm mount it would not be able to be detached and set-up on another tripod. Because it is a Kinematic mount however using the controller you can use it for terrestrial all you will need is an erect image prism to correct the image.

Q12: What type and how many batteries does this scope require?

A: The 90mm Mak's mount takes a single 9-volt battery. The red dot finderscope takes a single CR2032 battery.

Q13: LIKE THE SCOPE,(90MM MAK)HOWEVER INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT VERY GOOD.THE SPOTTING SCOPE HAS NONE AT ALL. WHERE CAN I FIND BETTER BASIC INFO? THANKS

A: Hi Donna,
If you would like some assistance on setting up your telescope - please contact Bushnell customer/technical support at their toll free number: 1-800-423-3537
Best Regards,
Denny

Q14: My husband recieved the Bushnell Goto 90mm for Christmas and is having a hard time positioning the scope on the stars. Do you not have to find the telescope to the Northstar first? Or can it be any star?

A: For help with using the Bushnell North Star 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Compact telescope, your best bet is to contact Bushnell Customer Service directly. Here's the toll-free number so you can get the help you need: 800-423-3537.

Q15: is there a carry case for this telescoper?

A: Unfortunately, there is no carrying case for the Bushnell Northstar Meade 114EQ-AR Equatorial Reflector telescope. Most folks use a padded duffel bag.

Q16: Can this item use an AC adaptor, or does it strictly use batteries?

A: This telescope only uses batteries, as there isn't a plug in for an AC adaptor.